1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to information processing method and apparatus for managing versions of a plurality of components which are mutually linked and used and to a recording medium for such an apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In many cases, software which is used in an information apparatus such as computer apparatus, portable information apparatus, or set top box for receiving digital broadcast is constructed by combining a plurality of software which are referred to as components and used as parts. The component is loaded and read into a memory as necessary, for example, when the software is activated, so that it is loaded into the software and used.
The component is often updated by an addition, change, or the like of a function, so that its version is updated. For example, in case of updating the version of a certain component in the foregoing portable information apparatus, by installing the version updated component by a predetermined method, the original component is replaced with the version updated component. Therefore, the software into which the original component ought to be loaded assembles the version updated component after that in place of loading the original component.
It is presumed that the component of a new version has a backward compatibility (lower-to-upper compatibility) to a component of an old version. The backward compatibility of the component can be held if a version is updated such that the external specifications of the original component are not changed such as a mere addition of the function.
However, if a version is updated such that the external specifications of the original component are changed, for example, like a change in interface specifications, a change in operation accompanied with a change in external specifications, or a change in argument, return value, or the like, the backward compatibility of the component cannot be always held. Hitherto, in such a case, there is a problem that such a version update often becomes a cause of an erroneous operation of a system due to a difference between the versions.
To avoid such a trouble, hitherto, when a component is loaded, the version of the component used at the time of development is certainly used. Such a method, however, has a problem such that there is a possibility that a plurality of components of different compatible versions are simultaneously loaded upon execution of software and a use amount of a memory increases.